Latin Everywhere Rebrands As Pongalo, Adds More Capital

UPDATED, 8:30 AM: U.S.-based Spanish-language digital media company Latin Everywhere has officially changed its name to Pongalo to consolidate the organization under the brand of its YouTube network and subscription OTT platform. Pongalo, which owns one of the world’s largest IP libraries of digital rights to Spanish-language films and TV shows that it licenses to streaming services like Netflix and Amazon, is set to pass 3 billion views on its YouTube channel this year.

The rebrand comes the same day as Pongalo said it has received additional capital infusions from mobile-focused private equity fund Digital Bridge and digital media fund Canyon Creek Capital. Canyon Creek’s Buck Jordan will join former MTV Networks vice chairman Herb Scannell on Pongalo’s Board of Advisors. After a recent stake deal by Revolution Studios (Fortress), funding for the company is now in the high-seven figures.

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PREVIOUSLY, SEPTEMBER 15: Spanish-language digital media company Latin Everywhere has struck a partnership deal with telecommunications giant Telefónica to make its Pongalo content-streaming service available to the mobile carrier’s Latin American customers. The deal comes amid rapid expansion of Pongalo, which most recently saw Revolution Studios acquire a stake in the streaming app and YouTube channel.

Launched by Latin Everywhere in 2015, Pongalo (Spanish for “play it”) is the largest Latino-focused film and TV channel on YouTube with over 10 million subscribers and access to more than 50,000 hours of telenovelas and other content. Among Pongalo’s content library are some of the most successful telenovelas of all time from Mexico, Venezuela, and Colombia, including Kassandra, Mi Gorda Bella, El Cartel de los Sapos, and Juana la Virgen, on which the CW’s successful Jane the Virgin is based.

A preview of Pongalo’s upcoming global subscription service will debut later this month, with customers of Telefónica’s Movistar service receiving exclusive benefits, including discounted pricing and extended previews, as well as joint retail and marketing promotions between Movistar and Pongalo. The preview will be available online as well as through Android and Apple devices.

“We are delighted that Telefónica has chosen Pongalo as a select streaming service partner,” said Chairman Rich Hull and CEO Jorge Granier of Latin Everywhere. “Latino audiences globally are eager for new solutions for streaming content on mobile devices.”

In addition to Latin Everywhere’s content library, the service also maintains distribution partnerships with Hulu, Netflix, Google, and Amazon, among others. Madrid-based Telefónica is one of the world’s largest telecommunications companies with service in 24 countries and more than 327 million customers.